Local Reviews: Spell Talk

Spell Talk
Electricloud EP
Self-Released
Street: 11.18.10
Spell Talk = King Crimson + Black Lips + New Riders Of The Purple Sage
Spell Talk’s past year has essentially been a tidal wave of promotion and exposure. Any album following such a hectic year needed to push in one of two directions: more of the same for fan appreciation or experimentation for personal growth. Somehow, Spell Talk found a comparative balance between the two. Shades of prior albums shine through in tracks like “Causey” with hallucinatory riffs and wailing vocals, while tracks like “Valintino” are slower-paced and gritty, harkening to deep southern rock with lyrics climbing out of their bellies. Longstanding live favorites like “Boom Boom” and “High Water” finally receive polished versions on Electricloud, capturing the in-studio concert experience that used to dominate late ‘70s radio. Electricloud serves as a great follow up to Ghost Rider, but also stands alone as an impressive EP. Now if only they’d put out a full-length that sounds like this.